Accessibility Standard for Customer Service

Purpose:
Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. is committed to providing goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. strives to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunity to access our goods and services in an integrated manner, and where possible without the need for adaption, unless alternative measures are necessary.

Scope:
This policy and procedure applies to all employees who may deal with customers, contractors, suppliers, members of the public, visitors and other users.

Legislation:
This policy and procedure shall comply with the Ontario Regulation 429/07 of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code and all other applicable legislation.

Definitions:
Assistive Device: A device used to assist persons with disabilities in carrying out activities or in accessing the services of persons or organizations. Assistive devices may include: communication aids, cognitive aids, personal mobility aids and medical aids (i.e. Canes, crutches, wheelchairs, or hearing aids).

Disabilities: As per the Ontario Human Rights Code, disability means:

  1. Any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical coordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device;
  2. A condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability
  3. A learning disability or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language;
  4. A mental disorder or;
  5. An injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act

Persons with Disabilities: Individuals who are afflicted with a disability as defined under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Service Animal: Any animal used by a person with a disability for reasons relating to the disability where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to their disability.

Support Persons: Any person whether a paid professional, volunteer, family member, or friend who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help with communication, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods and services.

Procedure:
Assistive Devices and other Measures that Assist with Accessibility:

A person with a disability may provide their own assistive device for the purpose of obtaining, using and benefiting from Cambridge Pro Fab Inc’s. goods and services. Exceptions may occur in situations where Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. has determined that the assistive devices may pose a risk to the health and safety of a person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises. In these situations and others, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. may offer a person with a disability other reasonable measures to assist him or her in obtaining, using and benefiting from Cambridge Pro Fab Inc’s. goods and services, where Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. has other such measures available. It is the responsibly of the person with a disability to ensure that their assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.

  • Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. shall use reasonable efforts to allow persons with disabilities to use their own assistive devices to access goods and/or services.

Communication:
When communicating with people with disabilities, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. will do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.

Service Animals:
Service animals and support persons offer independence and security to many people with various disabilities.

  • When a person with a disability is accompanied by a service animal, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. will permit the person to enter the premises with the animal and keep it with them, unless it is otherwise excluded by law from the premises or poses a risk to the health and safety of the service animal or others on the premises.
  • If the service animal is excluded by law from the premises or poses a health and safety risk, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. will look to other available measures to enable the person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from Cambridge Pro Fab Inc’s. goods and services.
  • When a service animal is unruly or disruptive (jumping on people, biting, or other harmful behaviour) an employee may ask the person with a disability to remove the animal from the area or refuse access to goods and services. Other reasonable arrangements to provide goods or services will be explored with the assistance of the person with a disability.

Support Persons:
Support people assist people with disabilities in a variety of ways, by assisting with communication such as an intervener, sign language interpreter, or as a Personal Support Worker providing physical assistance.

  • When a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. will ensure that both parties are permitted to enter the premises together, and that the person with a disability is not prevented from having access to the support person.

Fees:
Fees will not be charged for admission to Cambridge Pro Fab Inc’s. premises.

Notice of Temporary Disruptions in Services and Faculties:

  • When there is a disruption in a particular facility or service used to allow a person with a disability to access goods or services, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. will give notice of the disruption to the public by posting the reason for the disruption, the anticipated duration of the disruption, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.
  • This posting will be in a conspicuous place on the premises of Cambridge Pro Fab Inc., or by other reasonable methods in the circumstances.
  • If the disruption is anticipated, Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. will provide a reasonable amount of advance notice of the disruption. If the disruption is unexpected, notice will be provided as soon as possible.

Feedback:

  • Comments on how well Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. service delivery meets the expectations of our customers, contractors, suppliers, members of the public and any visitors are welcomed and appreciated.
  • Feedback about the manner in which Cambridge Pro Fab Inc. provides goods and services to persons with disabilities can be provided in person, by telephone, in writing or by email.
  • All feedback shall be directed to the Human Resources Manager.
  • Privacy will be respected and all feedback will be reviewed for possible action that can be taken to improve services. In most cases, a response to the feedback will be provided within 15 working days.
  • Any complaints received will be dealt with in the standard means for dealing with complaints.

Training and Communication:
All employees shall be trained in this policy and procedure. Re-training in this policy and procedure shall occur when there are changes to this policy and procedure or as necessary. This training shall be documented.

Training and Information will be communicated by means of:

  • Orientation Training
  • Policy and Procedure Manual
  • Workplace Specific Training
  • Video(s)
  • Bulletin board notices and reminders
  • Safety Huddles

Training will include:

  • An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the requirements of the customer services standard
  • How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
  • How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or required the assistance of a service animal or a support person.
  • What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Cambridge Pro Fab Inc’s. goods and services.

Evaluation:
This policy and procedure shall be reviewed as necessary by the Human Resources Department and/or Management and/or the Joint Health and Safety Committee.

This policy and procedure will be evaluated through:

  • Review of the applicable legislation;
  • Assessment of the policy through yearly tracking records;
  • Quizzing employees on the central aspects of the policy and procedure on a regular basis;
  • Monitoring the feedback received from customers and /or employees;
  • Reviewing this policy and procedure when there are process and/or facility changes.

Recommendations or changes shall be developed and implemented to ensure the continuous improvement of this policy and procedure.